FOCAL KICKS OFF NOMINATIONS FOR 11TH GLOBAL FOOTAGE AWARDS

21 October 2013

FOCAL KICKS OFF NOMINATIONS FOR 11TH GLOBAL FOOTAGE AWARDS The FOCAL International Awards, presented in association with AP Archive, celebrate achievement in the use of footage in all variety of genres, across all media platforms. Producers, filmmakers and other creative professionals who have used library footage in a documentary, feature film or any other form of production over the last year are encouraged to submit their work for consideration. Entries in all 18 categories are due by December 1, 2013.

London, UK – 16th October 2013 – FOCAL International, the Federation of Commercial Audio-visual Libraries, kicked off its nominating period for the eleventh annual FOCAL International Awards, to be presented in association with AP Archive on 30 April, 2014, with a call for creative professionals worldwide to submit their work for consideration in one of 18 award categories by 1 December, 2013.

For more than a decade FOCAL International has honoured achievement in the use of footage at its annual footage awards, highlighting the power and impact of archival filmmaking in all its varied forms, as well as the critical role of stock and archival footage to the creative process. The FOCAL International Awards, now the leading and most complete set of awards for the global footage business, also showcase the contribution made to the global production industry by archivists, film libraries, researchers and technicians, as well as the work done to restore and preserve these irreplaceable assets.

FOCAL International received a record-setting 224 submissions for last year’s awards, leaving the judging committees with the daunting task of winnowing the award candidates down to a shortlist of three in each award category. The finalists for the 2013 awards were some of the most exciting films in recent memory, and FOCAL expects to build on that momentum in this nominating season.

“Our 10th Awards ceremony earlier this year was a real milestone,” said organiser Julie Lewis, FOCAL International’s General Manager. “We look forward to building on our success and increasing the profile of this important and vibrant footage industry.”

Alwyn Lindsey, Director of International Archives, AP Archive also commented, “The FOCAL International Awards have gone from strength to strength and are instrumental in highlighting the importance of archive footage to producers, while allowing archives to celebrate the incredible creativity that producers apply to our footage. The Awards are unique in giving archive footage this wonderful platform and this is why we are proud to be the main sponsor.”

All awards will be presented the evening of the 30 April 2014 at a glittering award ceremony, hosted by television historian Dan Snow, at the Lancaster London Hotel. As usual, FOCAL International expects a sell-out crowd for the awards ceremony. The qualifying period is productions premiered in 2013 and entry is via the FOCAL website www.focalint.org until the closing date 1st December.

The Award categories are as follows:

• Best Use of Footage in a History Production
• Best Use of Footage in a Current Affairs Production
• Best Use of Footage in a Factual Production
• Best Use of Footage in an Entertainment
• Best Use of Footage in an Arts Production
• Best Use of Music Performance Footage
• Best Use of Sports Footage
• Best Use of Footage in an Advert or Short Production
• Best Use of Wildlife and Natural History Footage
• Best Use of Footage on Digital or Non-television Platforms
• Best Use of Footage in a Home Entertainment Release
• Best Use of Footage in a Cinema Release
• Best Archive Restoration / Preservation Project
• Best Archive Restoration / Preservation Title
• The Jane Mercer Footage Researcher of the Year Award
• Footage Employee of the Year
• Footage Library of the Year
• Lifetime Achievement

ABOUT FOCAL INTERNATIONAL
The Federation of Commercial Audiovisual Libraries International is a professional not-for-profit trade association formed in 1985. It is fully established as one of the leading voices in the industry, with a membership of over 300 international companies and individuals.
Its purpose is to facilitate the use of library footage, images, stills and audio in all forms of media production; promote its members - libraries selling content plus those whose serve the industry; provide a platform for members to promote themselves and their interests; encourage good practise in the research, licensing, copyright clearance and use of footage; support, promote and educate on the need to preserve and restore footage and content; act as an information resource for the footage and content industry; offer training in key skills and in the broader appreciation of the footage and content industry.
www.focalint.org